A number of vehicles have an open top cargo compartment which is closed at its rear end by a tailgate that can be opened to permit access to the cargo compartment. Some examples are pickup trucks and various trailers which have an open top. Many of these vehicles are driven for significant distances with the cargo compartment empty or very lightly loaded. This is especially true with pickup trucks where their primary use is for passenger transportation while their use for the transportation of cargo is only incidental. These vehicles, by in large, have the rear end of the open top cargo compartment closed by solid tailgates which form an integral part of the cargo bed structure and thus need to be closed when the vehicle is in operation. Because of this, these vehicles are frequently driven with the solid tailgates in the closed position. This causes the tailgate to operate as an airbrake which significantly increases the air drag on the vehicle. The net result is a significant loss in fuel economy because of the power consumed in overcoming this air drag resistance.